Berlin residents are in despair over cattle roaming in their area, saying complaints over many years go nowhere.
East London SPCA chairwoman Annette Rademeyer said neither she nor Buffalo City Metro had the trailers needed to impound cattle. “Cows aren’t animals you can pick up and load onto trucks.”
Fairfield residents say they have had it with cows coming into their yards, destroying their crops and fouling their clean washing for close to a decade, and attempts to speak to the owners do not help.
Tammie Hamber, who has lived in the area for 10 years, said: “We can’t plant anything anymore. If they’re not in our yards they’re in the parks next to us.”
When the Dispatch arrived the cows were grazing just metres from the houses.
Attempts to reach the animals’ owner were unsuccessful.
BCM spokeswoman Bathandwa Diamond said the metro’s health bylaws forbade livestock in urban areas.
“They can cause pollution and transmit diseases to humans.”
The metro was aware of the problem in Berlin, she added: “The environmental health unit has served the owners with notices to move the livestock to a suitable place and we have also escalated the issue to the city’s legal department.”
The city conducted raids in joint operations with police, traffic authorities, the SPCA and the transport department, she added, “which avails the trucks to transport impounded animals”.
Residents troubled by neighbours’ animals can phone: East London (043)705-2901/74; Mdantsane (043)705-9898/9848 and King William’s Town (043)604-8569.
Roaming cows a health hazard
East London SPCA chairwoman Annette Rademeyer said neither she nor Buffalo City Metro had the trailers needed to impound cattle. “Cows aren’t animals you can pick up and load onto trucks.”
Fairfield residents say they have had it with cows coming into their yards, destroying their crops and fouling their clean washing for close to a decade, and attempts to speak to the owners do not help.
Tammie Hamber, who has lived in the area for 10 years, said: “We can’t plant anything anymore. If they’re not in our yards they’re in the parks next to us.”
When the Dispatch arrived the cows were grazing just metres from the houses.
Attempts to reach the animals’ owner were unsuccessful.
BCM spokeswoman Bathandwa Diamond said the metro’s health bylaws forbade livestock in urban areas.
“They can cause pollution and transmit diseases to humans.”
The metro was aware of the problem in Berlin, she added: “The environmental health unit has served the owners with notices to move the livestock to a suitable place and we have also escalated the issue to the city’s legal department.”
The city conducted raids in joint operations with police, traffic authorities, the SPCA and the transport department, she added, “which avails the trucks to transport impounded animals”.
Residents troubled by neighbours’ animals can phone: East London (043)705-2901/74; Mdantsane (043)705-9898/9848 and King William’s Town (043)604-8569.
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